The Shorin Ryu Karate Academy is a charter Shorin Ryu Karatedo International (SRKDI) dojo; therefore, any student who becomes an SRKDI member and earns rank in our club will have his/her rank recognized in Okinawa. (Note: as a member of the club, you are not required to test for rank, but it is encouraged.) Moreover, as an SRKDI member, all yudansha ranks (black belt ranks) can also receive an Okinawan yudansha rank certificate through the International Shogen-Ryu Karate-Do Kyokai, which has a formal relationship with SRKDI.

Below is a basic outline of the key curricular elements for each rank, from 6th Kyu (the first rank in our curriculum) to 1st Dan (1st degree black belt):

RO KYU (6th KYU: WHITE BELT W/ GREEN STRIPE)

Kihon:

Walking stance

Front stance

Lunge punch

Reverse punch

High block

Low block

Front kick

Fighting stance and guard

Kihon Drills:

Four low-block combination drills

Kata:

Fukyugata 1

Bunkai Drills:

Fukyugata 1 bunkai drills

Basic Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

Basics of self-protection (lecture information)

Situational awareness

What you can control

What you cannot control

Understanding types of violence

Understanding fighting and its consequences

Wrist releases and follow-ups

Choke defenses and follow-ups

Basic Fall Skills

Basic Throws:

Sweeps

Winding Throws

Neck Throws

Readings:

The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do by Shoshin Nagamine

GO KYU (5th KYU: WHITE BELT W/ 2 GREEN STRIPES)

Kihon:

Chest blocks

Side stance

Side kick

Kihon Drills:

Four chest-block combination drills

Kata:

Fukyugata 2

Bunkai Drills:

Fukyugata 2 bunkai drills

Basic Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups

Wrist releases and follow-ups

Choke defenses and follow-ups

Yakusoku Kumite #1 and #2

Basic Fall Skills

Basic Throws:

Sweeps

Winding Throws

Neck throws

Readings:

The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate by Gichin Funakoshi

YON KYU (4th KYU: GREEN BELT)

Kihon:

Cat stance

Shuto uke

Round house kick

Elbow strikes

Knee strikes

Kihon Drills:

Four high-block drills

Kata:

Pinan 1-2

Bunkai Drills:

Pinan 1-2 bunkai drills

Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

Bearhug releases and follow-ups

Under the arms and over the arms

From the Front and the rear

Headlock release

One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups

Wrist releases and follow-ups

Choke defenses and follow-ups

Yakusoku Kumite #3

Throws:

Winding throws

Neck throws

Sweeps

Break Falls

Readings:

Karate-Do: My Way of Life, by Gichin Funakoshi

SAN KYU (3rd KYU: BROWN BELT)

Kihon:

Hook kicks

Crescent kicks

Shovel kicks/knee stomps

Kihon Drills

Four shuto uke drills

Kata:

Pinan 3-5

Bunkai Drills:

Pinan 3-5 bunkai drills

Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

Blunt weapon defense and follow-ups

Using blunt weapons in self-defense

Bearhug releases and follow-ups

Under the arms and over the arms

From the Front and the rear

Headlock release and follow-ups

One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups

Wrist releases and follow-ups

Choke defenses and follow-ups

Yakusoku Kumite #4

Basic Throws

Shoulder throw

Inner and outer reaping throws

Readings:

Bunkai Jutsu by Iain Abernethy

NI KYU (2nd KYU: BROWN BELT WITH ONE BLACK STRIPE)

Kihon:

Naihanchi stance

Spinning back kick

Spinning hook kick

Kihon Drills:

All four sets of drills (16 drills)

Kata:

Naihanchi 1-2

Bunkai Drills:

Naihanchi 1-2

Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

Knife defense

Using bladed weapons in self-defense

Knife avoidance

shielding and getting to the side of the attacker

getting away

Blunt weapon defense and follow-ups

Using blunt weapons in self-defense

Avoiding strike by backing up

Lunging in to close gap (timed when weapon is in centerline—when you move in the weapon will have moved away)

Go for eyes or throat

Or, control weapon hand/arm and attempt takedown and disarm

Bearhug releases and follow-ups

Under the arms and over the arms

From the Front and the rear

Headlock release and follow-ups

One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups

Wrist releases and follow-ups

Choke defenses and follow-ups

Yakusoku Kumite #5

Break Falls

Basic throws

Double leg lift throws

Tackle

Readings:

Facing Violence by Rory Miller

IK KYU (1st KYU: BROWN BELT WITH TWO BLACK STRIPES)

Kihon:

All techniques should be sharp, snappy, focused, and demonstrating speed, power, and control

Stances should be strong, precise, and consistent

Kihon Drills:

All four sets of drills (16 drills)

Kata:

Naihanchi 3

Bunkai Drills:

Naihanchi 3

Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

Knife defense

Using bladed weapons in self-defense

Knife avoidance

shielding and getting to the side of the attacker

getting away

Knife disarm

when you cannot escape or backed into corner

shielding

grasping attacking arm

close the gap

takedown

get away

Blunt weapon defense and follow-ups

Using blunt weapons in self-defense

Avoiding strike by backing up

Lunging in to close gap (timed when weapon is in centerline—when you move in the weapon will have moved away)

Go for eyes or throat

Or, control weapon hand/arm and attempt takedown and disarm

Bearhug releases and follow-ups

Under the arms and over the arms

From the Front and the rear

Headlock release and follow-ups

One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups

Wrist releases and follow-ups

Choke defenses and follow-ups

Yakusoku Kumite #6

Break falls

Basic throws

Basic wrist and arm locks

Readings:

Meditations on Violence by Rory Miller

SHODAN (1ST DAN: BLACK BELT)

Kihon:

All techniques should be sharp, snappy, focused, and demonstrating speed, power, and control

Stances should be strong, precise, and consistent

Kihon Drills:

All four sets of drills with precision, snap, speed, power, and control

Kata:

Ananku

Wankan

Bunkai Drills:

Ananku

Wankan

Kata-based Sparring

Self-Defense Drills:

Knife defense

Using bladed weapons in self-defense

Knife avoidance

shielding and getting to the side of the attacker

getting away

Knife disarm

when you cannot escape or backed into corner

shielding

grasping attacking arm

close the gap

takedown

get away

Blunt weapon defense and follow-ups

Using blunt weapons in self-defense

Avoiding strike by backing up

Lunging in to close gap (timed when weapon is in centerline—when you move in the weapon will have moved away)

Go for eyes or throat

Or, control weapon hand/arm and attempt takedown and disarm

Bearhug releases and follow-ups

Under the arms and over the arms

From the Front and the rear

Headlock release and follow-ups

One and two handed Lapel grab releases and follow-ups

Wrist releases and follow-ups

Choke defenses and follow-ups

All drills performed with speed, power, intent to stop/incapacitate opponent yet with control